Leviticus 13:17

Translation
King James Version
And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And the priest H3548 shall see H7200 him: and, behold, if the plague H5061 be turned H2015 into white H3836; then the priest H3548 shall pronounce him clean H2891 that hath the plague H5061: he is clean H2889.
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Complete Jewish Bible
The cohen will examine him, and if he sees that the sores have turned white, then the cohen is to declare clean the person with the sores; he is clean.
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Berean Standard Bible
The priest will reexamine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the infected person clean; then he is clean.
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American Standard Version
and the priest shall look on him; and, behold, if the plague be turned into white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
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World English Bible Messianic
and the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the plague has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean of the plague. He is clean.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And the Priest shall beholde him and if the sore be changed into white, then the Priest shall pronounce the plague cleane, for it is cleane.
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Young's Literal Translation
and the priest hath seen him, and lo, the plague hath been turned to white, and the priest hath pronounced clean him who hath the plague; he is clean.
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In the KJVVerse 3,070 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 13:17 presents a crucial diagnostic criterion within the Old Testament laws concerning tzara'at, a severe and ritually defiling skin condition. This verse outlines the specific observation by which a person, previously afflicted with tzara'at, is declared ritually clean by the priest. The complete and uniform turning of the affected area to white, indicating the disease had run its course and was no longer active, allowed for the individual's re-entry into the community, underscoring God's meticulous concern for both purity and restoration within Israel.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus 13 and 14 constitute a distinct legal unit within the Pentateuch, meticulously detailing the diagnosis, isolation, and purification procedures for tzara'at affecting humans, garments, and houses. Leviticus 13 focuses on the initial examination and subsequent re-examinations, with verses 1-8 outlining the initial signs of the affliction, verses 9-17 addressing chronic or widespread conditions, and verses 18-46 dealing with tzara'at arising from boils, burns, or scalp conditions. Our focal verse, Leviticus 13:17, is a pivotal turning point within this chapter, offering a pathway from uncleanness to cleanness based on a specific, observable change. It stands in stark contrast to the earlier verses, such as Leviticus 13:2-3, which describe white spots as initial indicators of uncleanness, thereby highlighting a paradoxical sign of healing within the same diagnostic framework. The subsequent chapter, Leviticus 14, then prescribes the elaborate rituals required for the purification and reintegration of the declared-clean individual, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of God's law.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, tzara'at was not merely a medical ailment but primarily a condition of profound ritual impurity, often associated with divine judgment (as seen in Miriam's affliction in Numbers 12:10). Those afflicted were considered "unclean" (tame') and were required to live outside the camp, separated from the community and the sanctuary, to prevent the spread of defilement and to maintain the holiness of the camp where God dwelt. The priest's role was not to provide medical treatment or healing, but to act as God's designated diagnostician and arbiter of ritual status. He was responsible for examining the skin, discerning the precise nature of the affliction based on God's detailed statutes, and then authoritatively pronouncing the individual clean or unclean. This meticulous system underscored the profound importance of holiness and purity for the Israelite community, reflecting the character of a holy God who dwelt in their midst. The declaration of "clean" was therefore a momentous event, signifying not just potential physical recovery but, more importantly, ritual purity and the restoration of social and religious fellowship, allowing the individual to approach God once more.
  • Key Themes: Leviticus 13:17 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Foremost is the theme of Holiness and Purity, emphasizing God's absolute holiness and the necessity for His people to reflect that holiness in every aspect of their lives, including their physical state and social interactions. The detailed laws concerning tzara'at highlight the pervasive nature of defilement and the meticulous measures required to maintain a holy community in the presence of a holy God. Another key theme is Divine Authority and Order, as God Himself prescribes the exact procedures and designates the priest as His authoritative agent for diagnosis and declaration. This underscores that true cleanness is defined by God's standards, not human perception. Finally, the verse powerfully illustrates the theme of Restoration and Reintegration. Despite the severity of tzara'at and the resulting isolation, God provides a pathway back to purity and fellowship, demonstrating His desire for His people to be restored to full participation in the covenant community, a theme echoed in the subsequent purification rites described in Leviticus 14.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Plague (Hebrew, negaʻ', H5061): This term (H5061) literally means "stroke," "blow," or "affliction." In the context of Leviticus 13, it refers specifically to a divinely sent or permitted skin affliction that renders a person ritually unclean. It is a broad term that encompasses various severe dermatological conditions, not exclusively what is known today as Hansen's disease (leprosy). The use of negaʻ emphasizes that the condition was seen as more than just a physical malady; it carried spiritual and ritual implications, often understood as a "stroke" from God, requiring priestly intervention for status determination.
  • White (Hebrew, lâbân', H3836): The Hebrew word (H3836) denotes a pure, uniform whiteness. In the context of tzara'at, the presence of white patches or spots could initially indicate the disease. However, as Leviticus 13:17 clarifies, if the entire affected area, from head to toe, turned uniformly white, it signified that the disease had run its course, was no longer active or contagious, and had effectively "burned itself out." This complete transformation to a uniform whiteness was the critical diagnostic sign for cleanness, distinguishing it from the raw, spreading, or patchy white lesions that indicated active disease and uncleanness.
  • Clean (Hebrew, ṭâhôwr', H2889): The term (H2889) signifies ritual purity, as opposed to tame' (טָמֵא), which means ritually unclean. When the priest pronounced someone ṭâhôwr, it meant they were no longer ritually defiled by the tzara'at and could undergo the prescribed purification rituals to re-enter the community and participate in worship. This declaration was not a medical prognosis but a theological and ritual pronouncement, reflecting God's standard of holiness for His people.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And the priest shall see him": This opening clause immediately establishes the priest's essential and authoritative role. He is the divinely appointed observer and diagnostician, responsible for carefully and meticulously examining the individual according to God's precise instructions. His observation is not merely casual but a critical assessment to determine ritual status, acting as God's representative.
  • "and, behold, [if] the plague be turned into white": This is the crucial diagnostic criterion upon which the entire verse hinges. The phrase "turned into white" (הָפַךְ לָבָן, hâphak lâbân) indicates a complete and uniform transformation of the entire affected area to a state of pure, uniform whiteness. This is a paradoxical sign, as initial white spots often indicated the affliction. Here, however, it signifies that the disease has fully run its course, leaving behind a uniformly white, healed surface. The interjection "behold" (וְהִנֵּה, v'hinneh) draws immediate attention to this significant and perhaps surprising observation, highlighting its importance.
  • "then the priest shall pronounce [him] clean [that hath] the plague": Based on his observation of the complete whitening, the priest, acting as God's representative and in accordance with divine law, issues a definitive declaration. He "pronounces" (וְטִהַר, v'ṭihar, from the root ṭâhêr, H2891) the person clean. This is a performative utterance; the priest's word, in accordance with God's law, changes the individual's ritual status from unclean to clean, allowing for their reintegration into the community.
  • "he [is] clean." This final, emphatic declaration reiterates and confirms the new ritual status. The individual is definitively ṭâhôwr (H2889), no longer ritually defiled, and can now proceed with the purification rites to be fully restored to the community and to worship. It serves as a conclusive statement of their restored standing before God and the community.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 13:17 employs several literary devices that enhance its meaning and impact within the broader legal framework. The most prominent is Paradox, where a condition (whiteness) that initially signifies uncleanness and separation (as seen in Leviticus 13:2) becomes, in its complete and uniform manifestation, the very sign of cleanness and healing. This reversal highlights the meticulousness and sometimes counter-intuitive nature of God's laws, requiring careful discernment and precise application. Repetition of the word "clean" (ṭâhôwr) in the final clauses ("pronounce him clean... he is clean") serves to emphasize the definitive and authoritative nature of the priest's declaration and the complete, unambiguous restoration of the individual's ritual status. There is also a strong element of Symbolism, where the physical condition of tzara'at often symbolized the defilement of sin, and the process of examination and declaration of cleanness prefigures the profound need for divine intervention to address human sinfulness. The transformation to "white" can also be seen as symbolic of purity, renewal, and the removal of defilement, pointing to a deeper spiritual reality.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 13:17 profoundly illustrates God's meticulous concern for the holiness and purity of His covenant people. The detailed regulations for tzara'at underscore that God's holiness permeated every aspect of Israelite life, making even physical conditions a matter of ritual status that impacted one's relationship with the community and with God Himself. This verse, in particular, showcases God's provision for restoration, demonstrating that even severe defilement was not a permanent state, but that a path back to purity and fellowship was always available through adherence to His prescribed ways. The priest's role as the one who declares cleanness highlights the necessity of an intermediary to bridge the gap between the defiled and the holy, foreshadowing a greater High Priest who would not merely declare, but truly make clean.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While the ceremonial laws of tzara'at are not directly binding for New Covenant believers, Leviticus 13:17 offers profound spiritual insights that remain deeply relevant. It powerfully reminds us of the seriousness with which God views anything that defiles, whether physical or spiritual. Just as tzara'at separated an Israelite from the community and the very presence of God in the camp, so too does sin create a chasm between humanity and a holy God. The meticulous process of diagnosis and the ultimate declaration of cleanness point to God's desire not for perpetual separation, but for restoration and fellowship. This verse encourages us to recognize the pervasive and isolating nature of sin in our own lives, which, like tzara'at, can spread and alienate us from God and others. It also offers immense hope: just as there was a pathway to physical and ritual cleanness, there is an even greater pathway to spiritual cleansing and restoration through God's grace. We are called to seek this profound transformation, allowing God to perform a work in us that makes us truly "clean" in His sight, enabling us to walk in renewed fellowship with Him and His people.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the detailed nature of God's law regarding tzara'at inform our understanding of His holiness and His concern for purity in our lives today?
  • In what ways might we, like the Israelite with tzara'at, experience spiritual "defilement" or isolation due to sin, and what steps can we take towards "cleanness" and restoration?
  • How does the priest's role in declaring cleanness, rather than healing, point us to the ultimate authority and work of Christ in our spiritual lives?

FAQ

Was tzara'at the same as modern leprosy (Hansen's disease)?

Answer: No. While often translated as "leprosy" in older versions like the KJV, the Hebrew term tzara'at (נגע) refers to a broader category of severe skin afflictions and possibly even mildew on garments and houses. It was primarily a ritual impurity rather than solely a medical condition. Modern leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a specific bacterial infection, whereas tzara'at in the Bible encompassed various dermatological conditions, some of which may have been contagious, but others were not. The diagnostic criteria in Leviticus 13 do not perfectly align with the symptoms of Hansen's disease, and the emphasis was on ritual status before God rather than medical treatment.

Why was the priest responsible for diagnosing and declaring cleanness, rather than a physician?

Answer: The priest's role was not that of a medical doctor, but a spiritual and ritual arbiter. Tzara'at was considered a state of ritual defilement (tame'), which separated an individual from the holy community and the tabernacle/temple. The priest, as the one consecrated to mediate between God and the people, was uniquely qualified to determine ritual status according to God's revealed laws. His declaration of "clean" (ṭâhôwr) was a theological pronouncement, not a medical one, signifying that the individual was no longer ritually defiled and could undergo the prescribed purification rites to be reintegrated into the covenant community. This highlights that the issue was primarily one of holiness and purity before God, not merely a health concern.

How could "white" signify both uncleanness and cleanness in tzara'at?

Answer: The specific nature and extent of the whiteness were crucial for diagnosis. Initially, a raw or spreading white spot, especially with associated symptoms like hair turning white or raw flesh, indicated active tzara'at and uncleanness (e.g., Leviticus 13:2-3). However, as Leviticus 13:17 explains, if the entire affected area had turned uniformly white, indicating that the disease had run its course and the skin was completely healed over, it was a sign of cleanness. This complete, uniform whiteness signified that the affliction was no longer active or contagious, and the individual was no longer a source of ritual defilement. It was a paradoxical sign that required careful, discerning observation by the priest, distinguishing between active disease and a healed, benign condition.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 13:17, with its focus on the priest's declaration of cleanness and the restoration of the afflicted, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament priest could only declare someone clean based on observed physical healing; he could not cause the healing. But Jesus, our Great High Priest, possesses the divine authority not only to declare us clean but to make us clean. He powerfully demonstrated this by directly touching and healing those afflicted with tzara'at, a radical act that defied the Old Testament law's strictures on defilement, yet perfectly fulfilled its spiritual intent (as seen in Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, and Luke 5:12-16). Tzara'at served as a powerful symbol of sin's defilement and its isolating effects, separating individuals from God and community. Jesus, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, takes away the sin of the world, making us spiritually "white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18) and granting us true purity. He is the Lamb of God who truly takes away our sin (John 1:29), enabling our complete restoration and reintegration into the family of God, a fellowship far richer and more profound than any earthly community. Unlike the temporary and external cleansing offered by the Old Covenant, Christ provides a permanent, internal cleansing that transforms us from within, fulfilling the deepest longings for purity and fellowship that the tzara'at laws pointed towards.

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Commentary on Leviticus 13 verses 1–17

I. Concerning the plague of leprosy we may observe in general, 1. That it was rather an uncleanness than a disease; or, at least, so the law considered it, and therefore employed not the physicians but the priests about it. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. We do not read of any that died of the leprosy, but it rather buried them alive, by rendering them unfit for conversation with any but such as were infected like themselves. Yet there is a tradition that Pharaoh, who sought to kill Moses, was the first that ever was struck with this disease, and that he died of it. It is said to have begun first in Egypt, whence it spread into Syria. It was very well known to Moses, when he put his own hand into his bosom and took it out leprous. 2. That it was a plague inflicted immediately by the hand of God, and came not from natural causes, as other diseases; and therefore must be managed according to a divine law. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's, were all the punishments of particular sins: and, if generally it was so, no marvel there was so much care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper, that none might be looked upon as lying under this extraordinary token of divine displeasure but those that really were so. 3. That it is a plague not now known in the world; what is commonly called the leprosy is of a quite different nature. This seems to have been reserved as a particular scourge for the sinners of those times and places. The Jews retained the idolatrous customs they had learnt in Egypt, and therefore God justly caused this with some others of the diseases of Egypt to follow them. Yet we read of Naaman the Syrian, who was a leper, Kg2 5:1. 4. That there were other breakings-out in the body which did very much resemble the leprosy, but were not it, which might make a man sore and loathsome and yet not ceremonially unclean. Justly are our bodies called vile bodies, which have in them the seeds of so many diseases, by which the lives of so many are made bitter to them. 5. That the judgment of it was referred to the priests. Lepers were looked upon as stigmatized by the justice of God, and therefore it was left to his servants the priests, who might be presumed to know his mark best, to pronounce who were lepers and who were not. All the Jews say, "Any priest, though disabled by a blemish to attend the sanctuary, might be a judge of the leprosy, provided the blemish were not in his eye. And he might" (they say) "take a common person to assist him in the search, but the priest only must pronounce the judgment." 6. That it was a figure of the moral pollution of men's minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone can cleanse us; for herein the power of his grace infinitely transcends that of the legal priesthood, that the priest could only convict the leper (for by the law is the knowledge of sin), but Christ can cure the leper, he can take away sin. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, which was more than the priests could do, Mat 8:2. Some think that the leprosy signified, not so much sin in general as a state of sin, by which men are separated from God (their spot not being the spot of God's children), and scandalous sin, for which men are to be shut out from the communion of the faithful. It is a work of great importance, but of great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state: we have all cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious to ourselves of sores and spots, but whether clean or unclean is the question. A man might have a scab (Lev 13:6) and yet be clean: the best have their infirmities; but, as there were certain marks by which to know that it was a leprosy, so there are characters of such as are in the gall of bitterness, and the work of ministers is to declare the judgment of leprosy and to assist those that suspect themselves in the trial of their spiritual state, remitting or retaining sin. And hence the keys of the kingdom of heaven are said to be given to them, because they are to separate between the precious and the vile, and to judge who are fit as clean to partake of the holy things and who as unclean must be debarred from them.

II. Several rules are here laid down by which the judgment of the priest must be governed. 1. If the sore was but skin-deep, it was to be hoped it was not the leprosy, Lev 13:4. But, if it was deeper than the skin, the man must be pronounced unclean, Lev 13:3. The infirmities that consist with grace do not sink deep into the soul, but the mind still serves the law of God, and the inward man delights in it, Rom 7:22, Rom 7:25. But if the matter be really worse than it shows, and the inwards be infected, the case is dangerous. 2. If the sore be at a stay, and do not spread, it is no leprosy, Lev 13:4, Lev 13:5. But if it spread much abroad, and continue to do so after several inspections, the case is bad, Lev 13:7, Lev 13:8. If men do not grow worse, but a stop be put to the course of their sins and their corruptions be checked, it is to be hoped they will grow better; but if sin get ground, and they become worse every day, they are going downhill. 3. If there was proud raw flesh in the rising, the priest needed not to wait any longer, it was certainly a leprosy, Lev 13:10, Lev 13:11. Nor is there any surer indication of the badness of a man's spiritual state than the heart's rising in self-conceit, confidence in the flesh, and resistance of the reproofs of the word and strivings of the Spirit. 4. If the eruption, whatever it was, covered all the skin from head to foot, it was no leprosy (Lev 13:12, Lev 13:13); for it was an evidence that the vitals were sound and strong, and nature hereby helped itself, throwing out what was burdensome and pernicious. There is hope in the small-pox when they come out well: so if men freely confess their sins, and hide them not, there is no danger comparable to theirs that cover their sins. Some gather this from it, that there is more hope of the profane than of hypocrites. The publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of heaven before scribes and Pharisees. In one respect, the sudden breakings-out of passion, though bad enough, are not so dangerous as malice concealed. Others gather this, that, if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged; if we see and own that there is no health in us, no soundness in our flesh, by reason of sin, we shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord. 5. The priest must take time in making his judgment, and not give it rashly. If the matter looked suspicious, he must shut up the patient seven days, and then seven days more, that his judgment might be according to truth. This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be hasty in their censures, nor to judge any thing before the time. If some men's sins go before unto judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so men's good works; therefore let nothing be done suddenly, Ti1 5:22, Ti1 5:24, Ti1 5:25. 6. If the person suspected was found to be clean, yet he must wash his clothes (Lev 13:6), because he had been under the suspicion, and there had been in him that which gave ground for the suspicion. Even the prisoner that is acquitted must go down on his knees. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from our spots, though they be not leprosy-spots; for who can say, I am pure from sin? though there are those who through grace are innocent from the great transgression.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–17. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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